Ironing form



Oct. 26, 1954 M. E. LEE

IRONING FORM Filed May 25, 1950 INVENTOR. 32W 6 .1w

Patented Oct. 26, 1954 UNITED STATES OFFICE This invention relates to ironing of garments. Webster says that ironing is the process of pressing or smoothing garments with a flat iron However, it has long been recognized that heat and motion are not required for the ironing operation. It has long been the custom of ladies travelling to wash out small garments in a lavatory, stick the garments, like handkerchiefs, on a window pane or mirror, and let them dry in this flat, smooth condition, The result is a very creditable job of ironing.

In the present invention the ironing or shaping form is merely inserted in the garments when in dampened condition, then smoothed out and stretched, permitting the garment to dry in this flat condition to perform a substitute ironing operation through the use of an appropriately shaped form.

It is the particular object of the present invention to provide a form over which garments or garment parts such as collars can be stretched over the flat form to permit drying in smooth, flattened condition to perform the ironing operation. Although it has wider application, the invention will be described as applied to mens shirt collars.

Other objects and benefits will be apparent from the following descriptions and drawings in which:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a mans shirt hung on the ironing form;

Fig. 2 is a broken rear elevation view of the shirt shown in Fig. 1 showing that the rear of the collar is held in its proper position;

Fig. 3 is a plan view of an ironing form constructed in accordance with this invention;

Fig. 4 is an enlarged end view of the ironing form shown in Fig. 3; and

Fig. 5 is a perspective view of a separate ironing clamp for the form as will later be explained.

Now referring to Fig. 1, I show the shirt [0 hung on a hanger ll over an ironing form l2 for the collar as will later be explained. Fig. 2 shows that the rear of the shirt collar is in proper flat condition. Now referring to Fig 3, I show the ironing form l2 shaped to the collar of the shirt. On the top of the form [2 are small serrations I3 which are for the purpose of locating and retaining the collar of the shirt in its proper shape on the form I2. On the lower part of the form l2 are integral clamps [4 over which the shirt collar is placed on the form in its flattened condition over the form and held in that relationship. In order to provide the clamps I4, I construct the form with the clamps flat- 4 Claims. (Cl. 223-52.1)

tened outwardly as they appear in the dotted outlines i5 on the form [2. Then the clamps are bent over the form in clamped position in order to supply the proper clamping action. I prefer to use the clamps [4 as integral portions of the form 12 in order that the collar may be properly held in flattened condition over the form as is necessary to provide the smooth fiat finish on the collar. In Fig. 4, in dotted outline, I show how the collar is fastened over the form I2 with the serrations I 3 properly frictionally contacting the upper folded portion of the collar and with the collar folded down in flat, stretched position and held in place under the clamps l4. Although I prefer to form the clamps l4 integrally with the form I2, I may provide separate holding clips 16 as shown in Fig. 5, which may be inserted over the collar and form edge to function in the same manner as the clamps M.

The collar form 12 can be retained in the shirt collar when the ironing function is completed. Thus a shirt collar Will retain its shape while the shirt is put away until used, and the form may then be removed for further use.

Although I have illustrated the invention on a mans shirt collar, it will be understood that with different forms it may be applied to ladies waists and other garments in a similar manner. I prefer to make the forms of smooth plastic sheet material, but such forms may be made of metals such as stainless steel or nickel plated brass or any metal which will give the fiat smooth surface required.

Having thus described my invention I now claim as new:

1. A collar shaping and smoothing unit comprising a flexible form having an outline to conform with the shape of a folded shirt collar, retaining means to secure said form in predetermined relation to said collar, said retaining means comprising serrated sections at spaced intervals along one edge of said form to frictionally engage the collar material at the fold, said serrated portions comprising V-notches cut into said one edge of the form, and clamp means carried by said form and arranged to hold the free terminal edge of the collar to the form.

2. A collar shaping and smoothing unit comprising a flexible form having an outline to conform with the peripheral contour of an outer downturned shirt collar, retaining means to secure said form in predetermined relation to said collar and completely thereabout from one terminal collar point to the other point thereof, said retaining means comprising serrated portions at one edge of said form to frictionally engage the collar material at the fold, and clamp means to hold the free bottom edge of the collar to the form, said clamp means comprising spaced clip members carried along the edge of the form that is positioned remotely from the collar fold, certain of said clip members being located at the end edges of the form to engage portions of the terminal points of the shirt collar.

3. In a device for holding the shape and smoothing a collar of a shirt comprising a'resilient smooth surfaced strip form, the shape of said form duplicating the shape of the downturned outer portion of a collar to providean unbroken continuous surface area conforming to the folded collar and extending completely-along one surface of the downturned outer portion of the collar and from one collar tip to the other, positioning means carried by said form and constructed and arranged to engage at the collar fold to prevent relativecircular-movement ofithe form'about said collar and with respect toasaid downturned outer portion thereof, and clamp members carried bysaid form and-arranged .to loop about an edge of said downturned outer collar portionto maintain said portion in a flattened condition upon and adjacent said smooth continuous surfaced strip form.

-4. A shaping and smoothing unit for an integrally attached collar of a shirtghaving an inner neck band and a downturned outer .band

of predetermined contour connected with said neck band to encircle the latter, said unit comprising a flexible form having a shape with peripheral limits to conform with the contour of the outer collar band, said form being adapted for coincident engagement with one surface of the outer band, and form retaining means constructed and arranged for connectionwith said outer band to secure said form into coincident contact with said downturnedouter band of said collar comprising a plurality of flexible clip members carried in spaced relation upon one edge of said form to loop about the free edge of said outerv'band at spaced points therealong.

.Refe'riences Cited in the file of this patent UNITED: S'IfA'IES PATENTS Number Name Date 440,027 Gibble Nov. 4, 1890 873,179 Skinner ,Dec. 10, 1907 1,317,803 Mc'Closkey 'Oct. 7, 1919 1,817,590 Simon Aug. 4, 1931 "2,135,753 Jones Nov. 8, 1938 2,338,211 "Steele Jan. 4, 1944 2,407,125 Asher SeptFS, 1946 2,457,476 'Kaplan Dec. 28, 1948 FOREIGN- PATENTS Number Country Date -'529,949' Great Britain Dec. 2, 1940 

